Consultations on Policy & Legislation

Current Consultations

Public Consultation

Distracted Drivers: Use of Cell Phones and other Technologies while Driving

June 30, 2009

The Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles (OSMV) recently conducted an extensive review of distracted driving research. The link to the full distracted driving discussion paper can be found below. The following is a summary of some of the research in this paper:

• Evidence shows that driver distraction, of all types, is associated with approximately 25 per cent of crashes and results in a significant cost to society in terms of tragic loss of life, serious injuries and resulting monetary costs. Activities such as talking on a cell phone and manipulating electronic devices require significant amounts of attention being diverted away from driving tasks.
• In both simulated and real driving environments, the use of electronic devices has been shown to result in crashes and near misses. Drivers fail to process approximately 50 per cent of the visual information in their driving environment when they are using electronic communication devices. Evidence also concludes that there is no difference between the level of driver distraction associated with hands-free and hand-held cell phone use.
• Talking to a passenger in the vehicle versus talking to someone through electronic means does not cause the same level of distraction. Reasons for the difference include: the passenger is aware of the driving situation; the passenger can serve as an additional look-out for hazards; the passenger can adjust speech, tone and conversation to the driving environment; and cell phone conversations suppress brain activity necessary for attention to perceptual input.
• There is no evidence that listening to the radio or a book on tape degrades driving performance.

Download the complete discussion paper:

• Addressing the Problem of Distracted Driving and its Impacts on Road Safety [PDF]

Based on this research, the provincial government is seeking British Columbians' input on the use of cell phones and other electronic devices while driving.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you think government should pass additional laws restricting the use of electronic devices while driving, or should emphasis be placed on increased public education and awareness and the enforcement of existing laws governing driver distraction (e.g. "Driving Without Due Care and Attention")?
2. Which electronic devices should be considered under this framework?
3. Should hands-free devices be treated the same or differently as hand-held devices?
4. What would be the appropriate penalties for drivers disobeying such a law (e.g. failure to wear a seatbelt is a fine of $167)?
5. Should any proposed laws apply to all drivers, or only specific categories of drivers (i.e., new drivers)?
6. Should exemptions be provided to any class of drivers (i.e., emergency responders, professional drivers, etc.)

You can send your feedback using the comment box below or download the discussion questions [PDF] and mail or fax your comments to the Office of Superintendent of Motor Vehicles (OSMV). Contact information for OSMV is listed in the discussion questions document.

Deadline: comments must be received by August 7, 2009.